ONLY two Test matches— of more than 2,500 played - have been tied but it wouldn’t be the biggest shock if Ireland and Zimbabwe produced a really close result over the next five days in Belfast. 

The two teams have already fought out one memorable tie at the end of 50 overs during the 2007 World Cup in Jamaica, and recent white-ball clashes have been decided by a few runs or the odd wicket.

“It used to be Afghanistan who were our big rivals, but they’ve kicked on and now it’s Zimbabwe,” skipper Andy Balbirnie said.

‘We’ve had a number of really good games against them recently -- home and away — and I’ve no doubt the Test will be the same.”

Ireland will be favourites in home conditions tomorrow (THURS) and also have a secret weapon in Peter ‘PJ’ Moor, a vastly experienced 33-year-old who played eight Tests for Zimbabwe before swapping flags and making his Ireland debut last year.

“PJ knows a most of their squad and he’s played a lot of domestic cricket in Zimbabwe so he’s been able to give us information on a couple of their players who haven’t played Tests before,” Balbirnie said.

“Their senior guys like Craig Ervine and Sean Williams have been pretty successful in the Test matches they’ve played, and they also have experience of Stormont where we’ve hosted them in ODIs.

‘And they’ve also got a couple of big seamers who we’ve come up against in white-ball cricket and we know the threat they bring to that format, and there will be posing different challenges for sure.”

IRELAND (from): Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.